Want some tasty bay scallop recipes? Try the one you like the most with these varied options.
Scallops are one type of bivalve mollusk – when two shells surround the interior muscle, like those of oysters and clams.
The white abductor muscle that opens and closes the shell is the part one eats. It can be round and tender, having both sweet and salty tastes. The orange-colored coral is also consumable, but it isn’t a preference in the US.
Scallops are of two kinds –
1) sea scallops that are larger, growing up to two inches. They are found in deep and cold water, such as the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.
2) Bay scallops are smaller like a dime and more tender. They are found in bays, shallow waters, and estuaries on the East Coast, near the seagrasses.
Their peak season is through late fall and winter, especially the last few months of the year.
Cooking Style
While sea scallops can be seared due to their chewier texture, sweeter and delicate bay scallop recipes can quickly be made through broiling, gentle poaching, and even grilling, which we will be looking at here.
1. Bay Scallop Recipes
The sweet and briny bay scallop recipe can be prepared in several ways –
1.1 Bay Scallop Recipe (With Garlic)
This is one of the simple and quick bay scallop recipes with very little prep time and will serve well as a good side dish for meals like pasta and rice.
1.1.1 Ingredients
1) bay scallops (1 and 1/2 pound)
2) All-purpose flour (1/2 cup)
3) Extra virgin olive oil (3-4 tbsp)
4) Minced Garlic (2 cloves)
5) To taste – Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6) To garnish – Chopped parsley
7) To serve – Lemon wedges
1.1.2 Instructions
This recipe would take 15 minutes to complete and has four servings.
1) Rinse the scallops with cold water, and dry them with paper towels.
2) Take a shallow bowl – put the flour, then roll the scallops into it to form a coat, and dust off the excess flour.
3) On medium-high heat, let the olive oil heat, and when it is hot, let the scallops turn light brown in small batches. Stirring frequently for 90 seconds should work.
4) Remove cooked scallops with a slotted spoon onto a plate.
5) Mix the scallops, minced garlic, salt, and pepper, into the skillet. Let them blend well for around 2 minutes, and you can lower the heat if needed.
You can add in chopped parsley and lemon wedges if desired to similar such bay scallop recipes.
1.1.3) Tips
1) Properly rinsing the scallops is mandatory as bits of sand can get stuck on the surface.
You can also pat dry scallops before cooking as they release moisture
2) The scallops should not be too wet or too dry. Frozen scallops should not be considered without their quality.
3) You can also make this recipe with sea scallops by slicing them into thinner pieces.
4) You can skip the flour or replace it with gluten-free flour for those on a diet.
1.1.4) Variations
You can add mushrooms, crumbled bacon or pancetta, browned butter, fresh thyme, and white wine to many such bay scallop recipes.
1.2 Angel Hair Pasta (With Bay Scallops)
For spaghetti squash lovers, this is one of the gluten-free and low-carb sauteed bay scallop recipes, which is a must-try.
1.2.1 Ingredients
1) Bay Scallops (Dry – 1lb)
2) Olive oil (2 tsp)
3) Butter (1 tsp)
4) Sliced Garlic Cloves (3)
5) White wine (1/2 cup)
6) Diced and drained petite Tomatoes (14 oz)
7) Fresh lemon juice (1 tsp)
8) chopped parsley (1/4 cup)
9) Angel hair pasta (7 oz) – brown rice or quinoa pasta can be used as a gluten-free option
1.2.2 Instructions
The total time to finish such bay scallop recipes is 30 minutes, with 4 servings.
1) Take a large pot of salted water, and let it boil.
2) In the meantime, place a large heavy-bottomed skillet on high heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil and butter over medium-high heat till the mix is brown
3) Once the pan is properly hot, transfer scallops (1/2) to the skillet and cook until seared (around 30 seconds). Flips and sear on the other side. Remove and set all the cooked scallops aside.
4) add pasta to the boiling water pot, and cook as per the package instructions.
5) On medium-high heat, add the remaining oil to the skillet. When hot, add garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add tomatoes, wine, salt, and pepper, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and parsley, and remove from heat.
6) add scallops to the skillet, and remove from heat. Drain the pasta and place it in a large serving bowl.
Top similar bay scallop recipes with scallops and sauce. Eat warm.
1.3 Frozen Scallops Recipe (With Garlic, Capers, And Lemon Zest)
This is one of the delicious bay scallop recipes, which can be served as an appetizer or with pasta as the main dish.
1.3.1 Ingredients
1) Frozen Bay Scallops (12 0z – thawed according to instructions in the package)
2) Olive oil (3 tbsp)
3) Chopped Fine Garlic (1 and 1/2 tbsp)
4) Fresh Parsley (1 tbsp)
5) Drained Tiny capers (1 and 1/2 tbsp)
6) Roasted red peppers (3 tbsp)
7) Dry breadcrumbs (2 and 1/2 tbsp)
8) Lemon zest (1/2 lemon)
1.3.2 Instructions
This is one of the quick bay scallop recipes that can be made in 15 minutes and has 2-4 servings.
1) Preheat broiler on high with a top-shelf rack.
2) Take a saute pan, and heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat till it turns to gold. Add the bay scallops on medium-high heat with a pinch of salt.
Cook scallops while frequently stirring (around 5 minutes).
3) Remove from heat. Add parsley, capers, red peppers, lemon zest, and breadcrumbs. These can soak up the liquids released by the bay scallops.
You can either put in the scallop shells or leave them in the cooking vessel.
4) Place all the scallops in a preheated broiler for 1 minute or till they turn golden brown.
You can serve such bay scallop recipes with a main dish or appetizer. Enjoy.
1.4 Bay Scallop Linguine Recipe
For couples looking for a date night dish, this is one of the tender bay scallop recipes made with a simple garlic butter sauce; definitely a must-try.
This is also a version of scallop scampi, similar to shrimp scampi, a pasta dish made with a garlic and butter sauce.
1.4.1 Ingredients
1.4.1.1 For breadcrumb mixture
1) Panko Bread crumbs (1/2 cup)
2) Pine nuts (1/4 cup)
3) Garlic (1 clove)
4) Butter (2 tbsp)
5) Grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
1.4.1.2) For bay scallop linguine
6) Lemon zest (1 tsp)
7) Linguine pasta (1 lb)
8) bay scallops (1 lb)
9) Olive oil (2 tbsp)
10) Sea salt and pepper (1/2 tsp)
11) Garlic cloves (2)
Optional garnishes for similar bay scallop recipes – parsley and lemon wedges
1.4.2) Instructions
This bay scallop recipe takes 5 minutes prep time and 15 minutes cook time, with 4 servings in dinner.
1) Take a small food processor – pulse the garlic, and pine nuts till they are chopped into small pieces. Add panko breadcrumbs and pulse again.
2) Take a nonstick skillet over medium heat, toast the mixture made for 4 minutes, or till golden brown.
Once cooled down, add the lemon zest and grated parmesan cheese.
3) Cook the pasta according to the instructions, and reserve 1 cup of water.
4) Pat the bay scallops dry with a paper towel. In a large stainless-steel skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil and butter.
5) then add scallops in a single layer. Season it with sea salt, and cook for four minutes.
Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to bring the flavor out.
6) Add prepared pasta to the skillet and toss it with the cooked scallops. Put in the pasta water if needed.
Serve your delicious pasta with bay scallop scampi in a shallow bowl. You can top it with the breadcrumb mix and season sea salt and pepper if needed.
1.4.3 Storage Tips
Even though it is advised to eat this scallop scampi fresh, you can refrigerate it for up to 2 days if you want to store it.
To reheat the bay scallop scampi and pasta, use a hot skillet. Freezing is not advised, but you can prepare half of the recipe if you wish to take that step.
1.5 Pan-Seared Scallops (With Lemon Sauce)
This is among the elegant and easy bay scallop recipes, with a delicious lemon caper sauce that makes it too irresistible.
1.5.1 Ingredients
1) Kosher Salt (1/3 cup) – for seasoning
2) Hot (1 cup) and Ice (4 cups) Water
3) Large Bay or sea scallops (1 pound and 1 and a half inches wide)
4) Olive oil (3 tbsp)
5) Minced garlic (1 tbsp)
6) Unsalted butter (1 tbsp)
7) Optional – White wine (1/2 cup)
8) Unsalted chicken broth (1 cup)
9) Lemon zest (1 tsp) and Lemon juice (2 tbsp)
10) Rinsed Capers (2 tbsp)
11) Dijon mustard (1 tbsp)
12) Chopped dill (1 tbsp)
13) Chopped chives (1 tsp)
12) Lemon wedges (6)
Seasoning – Black pepper
1.5.2 Instructions
The total time to prepare this bay or sea scallops recipe would be 28 minutes, with 4 total servings.
1) Take a medium-sized bowl – combine the hot water and salt, and stir well. Add ice water and let it cool down.
2) Add bay or sea scallops to this mix, and let it be for 10 minutes. Then, line paper towels in a sheet pan and set them aside.
3) Drain the scallops under cold water, then arrange them in a single layer on the lined pan.
Place another paper towel on top of all the scallops and gently pat them. Remove the surface moisture, and this would give you good browning results.
Before cooking, let the scallops sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
4) Take a 12-inch saute pan or a large skillet over medium-high, and heat the olive oil till it ripples and smokes.
5) Sprinkle the scallops with salt, place them in a hot pan and gently press with a spatula.
6) Sear the scallops, and don’t move them. Continue to cook till the bottoms are golden brown (around 3 or 3 1/2 minutes)
7) add butter to the pan, and turn and cook the scallops. Use a spoon and tilt the vessel a little bit to collect as much butter as possible.
8) Once the bay scallops turn opaque and are firm to touch (around 2 minutes), turn off the heat and transfer it to a plate.
9) Use the pan to cook scallops on medium heat. Add garlic and cook for another minute to get all the flavor and fragrance.
Then, add wine on medium-high heat. Simmer till is reduced by half (around 3 minutes)
10) Add the stock, lemon juice, zest, and capers on high heat. Cook till this sauce is reduced to half (around 8 -1 0 minutes)
11) Turn off the heat, then add Dijon mustard. Then, on medium heat, add the scallops again, cook for 2 minutes, till warm.
You can add to your topping and garnish, such as sea or bay scallop recipes with dill and chives. Serve with lemon wedges.
1.5.3 Tips and Tricks
Are Sea Scallops a Good Substitute?
Although there are many recipe variations between the bay and sea scallop, the latter is a healthy choice. It contains plenty of proteins, magnesium, and potassium.
Different Cooking Methods for Bay Scallop Recipes
1) For seared sea or bay scallops, add olive oil to a skillet over medium-high. Then, sear the scallops till they are golden brown or for 3 and a half minutes. For flavor, use salt and pepper.
2) For frozen bay scallops, thaw them first several hours before or overnight in the refrigerator, but not at room temperature. Then, rinse and pat it with paper towels before cooking.
1.6 Nantucket Bay Scallops Recipe
This is one of the quick bay scallop recipes that can be a crowd-pleaser appetizer, made with white wine, shallots, and lemon juice.
1.6.1 Ingredients
1) Nantucket Bay Scallops (3/4 pound)
2) Olive oil (1 tbsp)
3) Butter (2 tbsp)
4) Minced Shallots (1)
5) Dry white wine (1/4 cup)
6) Kosher salt (1/4 tsp)
7) Black pepper (1/4 tsp)
8) Chopped parsley (1 tbsp)
9) Lemon wedges (2-4)
1.6.2) Instructions
This bay scallops recipe can be made within 11-12 minutes, giving 2-4 servings.
1) Firstly, pat the scallops dry using a paper towel.
2) Take a large skillet – heat olive oil and butter over medium-high.
Add white wine and continue to cook till the liquid is reduced by half (around 2 minutes. 3) Once melted, sauté shallots till they are soft (for 2 minutes).
You can sprinkle pepper and salt on it.
4) Now, place the bay scallops in the skillet, do not overcrowd them. Cook for another 2 minutes, on each side, till they are brown and opaque.
Garnish with parsley and lemon juice, and serve these warm.
1.6.3) Serving Ideas
You can also make similar tender bay scallops recipe as a main dish with risotto and rice.
1.7 Creamy Garlic Scallops Recipe
This bay scallop dish made with garlic butter and lemon sauce is a good option for any time – be it a quick meal or a special dinner.
1.7.1) Ingredients
1) Clean and dry scallops (1 pound)
2) Salt and pepper (to taste)
3) Olive oil (2 tbsp)
4) Lemon Juice (1)
5) Butter (2 tbsp)
6) Minced Garlic cloves (4)
7) Dry White wine or chicken broth (1/4 cup)
8) Heavy cream (1/2 cup)
9) Diced parsley (1/4 cup)
10) Cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp)
Optional for serving similar bay scallop recipes – Lemon wedges, toast, and pasta.
1.7.2) Instructions
The total time to cook such bay scallop recipes is 13 minutes, with 4 servings.
For the Scallops
1) Take a large nonstick pan on high heat.
2) Firstly, lay the bay scallops on a cutting board, then pat dry with a paper towel. Season it with pepper and salt on one side.
3) Add olive oil (2 tbsp) to the cooking vessel, add the scallops with the seasoned side facing down, and fry for 2 minutes or till golden brown. Then, repeat the process on the other side, and fry for another minute.
4) Squeeze half of the lime juice over the scallops, and give the cooking vessel a good shake. Turn the scallops onto a plate with a paper towel.
For Lemon Sauce
5) Melt butter in the same equipment. Add the garlic, and saute for a minute till it is fragrant.
6) Pour the white wine or broth in, and let it simmer (around 2 minutes). Add cream, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
7) Add the lemon remaining lemon juice, diced parsley, salt, and cayenne pepper. You can taste and change the ingredients if needed.
Toss the scallops in with the delicious garlic butter and lime sauce. Serve warm with your desired toppings.
1.7.3) Nutrition Facts
The nutrition information for this recipe is – it has 315 calorie needs, 24.2 gm of total fat, 14.9 gm protein, and 7.8 gm of total carbohydrates.
2 Other Seafood Recipes
Apart from the above-mentioned bay scallop recipes, you can also try out these options and match your taste buds.
If these bay scallop recipes are not the one for you, here are almost 100 choices to try, or you can also check out the latest recipes over here.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
